


A Wonderful Combination

by zenonaa



Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 21:32:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zenonaa/pseuds/zenonaa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Both girls strode side by side, trying to figure the other out. Infer the other’s goals. How they ticked. Processed information. Interpreted it. And Celes was adamant that she would be the first and last to succeed.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Wonderful Combination

Celes did not like hot days.

On hot days, she sweated. Everyone sweated. And when everyone sweated, it became painfully obvious who used deodorant and who did not. Although she gave Hifumi deodorant to use because he never seemed to own any, sometimes he forgot to apply it (or maybe the fool thought he was above such a thing, or that a person of his low rank didn’t need to maintain personal hygiene at a decent human’s standard). The dampness that formed on the armpits of his cardigan unleashed a stench which invaded Celes’s nostrils and blighted her mood. Without fail. Atmosphere ruined. Each time.

Oh, she could send him away, but then who would fan her? Who would hold her parasol? Who would cool her down? Her beautiful attire required a lot of effort to wear in such heat. Someone needed to care for her. Byakuya looked like he would make a good butler, and the thought of him being her butler gave Celes some amusement, but he had a terrible habit of arguing back and not obeying orders. Yes, he much prefered giving orders and doing as he liked. A hopeless case.

Now that Celes thought about it, and she did so with a scowl, none of her classmates met her expectations. Some were too loud. Too clumsy. Too boring. Too predictable. Not that Hifumi wasn’t any of those things, but he accepted her orders with no complaint and rightfully marvelled at her radiance. Almost counterbalancing his many faults that she was working on wringing out of him.

It was on a particularly hot day, as she walked with Hifumi waddling after her with a parasol, that she crossed paths with Kyouko. Who was not with Makoto or Sayaka or Mukuro as Celes often found. No, Kyouko was very much by herself. Just one pair of approaching heeled boots, clicking against the pavement. Eyes focused on a subject Celes couldn’t read from Kyouko’s expression. What a mysterious girl Kyouko was.

“Ah,” said Celes, raising a hand as she stepped a final time before stopping completely. Hifumi halted soon after, ceasing his rather one-sided conversation about some manga. Celes smiled at Kyouko, who stood in front of her and waited politely for Celes to finish her greeting. Polite and mysterious- a wonderful combination. “Kirigiri-san, how pleasant it is to bump into you.”

“The pleasure is shared,” Kyouko replied. She glanced downward before meeting Celes’s eye once more. “I see that not even the heat can put you off wearing your usual outfit. I admire your dedication.”

Celes’s mouth almost twitched. Did Kyouko... smirk after the penultimate sentence? Did Kyouko Kirigiri smirk at her? Why? Did she expect a reaction from Celes? What reaction did Kyouko intend to get out of her with that quip? No. Celes decided Kyouko was too smart to fall into a trap like that. Attempting to get a rise out of Celes was near impossible. The smirk meant nothing.

Right? Or not right? Celes couldn’t say. Maybe Kyouko was too mysterious for her own good, with a face nearly as unreadable as the person she was speaking to.

Composure maintained, Celes bent her elbows outward and kneaded her fingers together. “There is no dedication involved for what I do. I’m simply being who I always am. Celestia Ludenberg.”

How satisfying it felt to hear herself say that name.

“I think you’re right,” said Kyouko after a pause, gloved hand pushing back a loose strand of hair that had stuck itself to her sweaty cheek. “You’re just being Celestia Ludenberg.”

The name sounded sweeter when Kyouko said it. Even if the tone didn’t please Celes all that much. Or at all, really.

Kyouko smiled. “I was on my way to buy ice cream. Do either of you want to join me?”

Hifumi mopped his brow with the back of his hand. The parasol in his other fist wobbled and so did the shade it cast. “A splendid idea. It’s the weather for such a snack, after all. Celes-dono, I will buy you an ice cream of your choice.”

“Oh, that’s quite all right,” Celes told him, staring at Kyouko who stared back. “Kirigiri-san made the invitation. It would only be right if she treated us. Wouldn’t you agree, Kirigiri-san?”

“... That’s fine with me,” said Kyouko. “Consider it my treat then.”

The three set off. Celes told Hifumi to position the parasol over herself and Kyouko, the latter correctly taking this as a hint that she should keep to Celes’s side. Hifumi backed off and squinted at the sunlight above, his free hand shielding his eyes. Already his face had gone quite pink. The dimwit. If he had forgotten to put on sunscreen, it was his own fault and Celes would not accept it as an excuse if he hurt too much to tend to her needs.

As they discussed school and other common interests, Celes studied Kyouko once more. Or at least tried to. And she knew the act was mutual, even if Kyouko’s gaze was directed toward the cracks between the slabs they crossed on the way to a nearby store. Both girls strode side by side, trying to figure the other out. Infer the other’s goals. How they ticked. Processed information. Interpreted it. And Celes was adamant that she would be the first and last to succeed.

They reached the store. Hifumi started to disclose his favourite flavour when Celes shushed him.

“I want to see how well Kirigiri-san knows us,” Celes explained when he gawked at her. She turned to Kyouko. “Don’t you think that would be interesting?”

Kyouko could have backed out. She was a girl who mostly kept to her own company. Not because she was asocial like Byakuya and Touko, to name a few people they were both acquainted with, but because she simply had nothing against being alone. So Celes would understand if Kyouko revealed not to know their preferences.

“This sounds like one of your games,” said Kyouko.

“A game? You insult me.” Celes closed her eyes and beamed. Eyes were awful liars. “Why, I’m simply curious. You’re much too clever for me to play with.”

Rather than respond vocally, Kyouko nodded and left the pair. The door jingled as she entered, and Celes and Hifumi waited outside. She allowed him to temporarily assume the spot next to her in Kyouko’s absence. He retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped at his face.

Celes caught a glimpse of an anime girl on his handkerchief and had the anime girl been real, Celes would almost have felt sorry for the girl. Being so close to Hifumi’s smelly wet skin... the thought made Celes internally shudder.

Two minutes later, Kyouko came out holding two cones of ice cream in one hand. She gave Hifumi a cone with a pink scoop. Strawberry. Then she gave a cone with a green scoop to Celes.

Celes frowned at it.

“Don’t you like green tea ice cream?” asked Kyouko, tilting her head to one side.

“It’s my favourite flavour,” admitted Celes, accepting the ice cream. She peered at Kyouko’s empty hand. “Where is yours?”

Hifumi noticed. “Eh? Did you forget to purchase yourself one despite this being your idea?”

Kyouko smiled. Celes noticed that Kyouko had one hand positioned behind her back.

“I thought I could entice you into guessing what I chose,” Kyouko explained despite not needing to. Celes already realised.

At that, Celes laughed two notes. “How accurate your deduction is. For you to consider such a thing, I must be an open book to you.”

“Quite the opposite, actually.”

That surprised Celes somewhat.

“You’re incredibly fascinating,” Kyouko explained. “There are times when I think I understand you only to be proved wrong shortly after. And when I think I understand your motives, your reasoning creates another layer for me to decipher. It keeps me alert.”

“Such compliments.” Celes feigned a gasp. “I hope I don’t blush through my foundation. I’m glad to be of service to your sharp mind. My company must be a refreshing exercise for your brain.”

“That’s true, but don’t believe that’s why I’m here with you right now. I enjoy your company, Celes-san. I,” Kyouko looked away briefly, “like you a lot.”

Celes’s next gasp was not feigned. Her gaze flickered.

“Now, what flavour do you think I chose?” asked Kyouko before the silence became awkward.

Celes gave it some thought. “Red bean.”

Kyouko revealed her ice cream cone. “Perhaps I’m the one who’s the open book?”

“Hm,” went Celes. She shooed Hifumi away, which enabled Kyouko to reclaim her spot. Under the sun’s rays, Hifumi proceeded to eat his ice cream quicker. His melting food mixed with his saliva and dribbled down his hand. Making a mental note to improve his manners, Celes noted that Kyouko was much more pleasant to watch.

And she certainly wasn’t boring or loud either.

“We should do this again at a later date, Kirigiri-san,” said Celes.

Maybe she liked hot days after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I always have writer's block/funk. blehhh


End file.
